I'm in the process of converting and existing licensed radio network over to an Ethernet radio network, we are using Phoenix Contact's RAD-ISM-900-EN-BD.
The existing licensed radio network is a Master/Slave network, the Master PLC makes all the communication to all the remote sites. The OPC Server talks to the Master PLC and the Master PLC is responsible for transmitting and receiving the data between the remote sites. I think this is a pretty standard radio network.
I've starting playing around with the Ethernet radios and figured out that I could actually have the OPC Server talk directly to the remote sites thereby eliminating the need for a Master PLC. I can also have the remote sites talk directly to one another. Not having a Master PLC has some advantages, no single point of failure, no need to map all remote data in a single PLC.
So my question is, what has been your experience in setting up an Ethernet radio network, did you set your network up as a Master/Slave network or did you set your network up as a HUB style network? Any pitfalls to one network design over the other?
My project final build out will contain 60 remote sites.
The existing licensed radio network is a Master/Slave network, the Master PLC makes all the communication to all the remote sites. The OPC Server talks to the Master PLC and the Master PLC is responsible for transmitting and receiving the data between the remote sites. I think this is a pretty standard radio network.
I've starting playing around with the Ethernet radios and figured out that I could actually have the OPC Server talk directly to the remote sites thereby eliminating the need for a Master PLC. I can also have the remote sites talk directly to one another. Not having a Master PLC has some advantages, no single point of failure, no need to map all remote data in a single PLC.
So my question is, what has been your experience in setting up an Ethernet radio network, did you set your network up as a Master/Slave network or did you set your network up as a HUB style network? Any pitfalls to one network design over the other?
My project final build out will contain 60 remote sites.
